Big-hitting punter comes out on top with Precise and Causeway

Bookmakers reflected on another painful afternoon on the penultimate day of Royal Ascot, with one punter winning £500,000 on Aidan O’Brien’s two winners.

The layers got Friday’s action off to a good start after O’Brien’s 10-11 favourite Sun Goddess was beaten by Libertango (6-1) in the opening Albany Stakes, but little over half an hour later the Karl Burke-trained Venetian Sun obliged as the 11-8 market leader for the Commonwealth Cup.

Star Sports then reported a hefty loss in the Coronation Stakes after laying a £275,000 bet on O’Brien’s Precise at 8-11, earning the winner £200,000 in profit, and the same punter scooped another £300,000 after backing Precise’s stablemate Causeway, who landed the King Edward VII Stakes by a neck.

Speaking after Precise’s win, Flynn Goward, managing director at Star Sports, said: “The writing was on the wall for us when Ryan Moore hit the front aboard Precise in the Coronation, and we had to watch the final stages through our fingers as another massive bet landed to floor us in the ring.

“We’re certainly seeing stars at the moment, and after another dreadful result we could be staring down the barrel at a six-figure loss on every day of Royal Ascot this year if this continues.”

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes was more positive in her assessment of the afternoon’s proceedings, however.

She said: “Day four finally gave us a bit of breathing room after what’s been a very punter-friendly Royal Ascot so far.

“Punters had plenty of reason to celebrate today but Sun Goddess getting turned over in the opener put a dent in the multiples and helped swing things slightly back in our favour today.”